1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electronic keyboard for controlling electronic typewriters or the like and, more particularly it relates to a full sized electronic keyboard with full travel keybuttons having a low part count and reduced switch component part size and having a low assembly cost.
2. Prior Art
Known prior art patents disclose full sized electronic keyboards with full travel keybuttons having a low part count. These patents have significantly different structure relative to each other and relative to the present structure.
One of these known patents is U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,114 issued on Feb. 9, 1982 to James H. Monti, Jr. This patent discloses the use of a rubber dome switch and the use of an integrally formed sheet steel spring to accommodate several keybuttons. This patent does not disclose a full sized keyboard and does not disclose one row of rubber dome switches nor one row of spring fingers to accommodate two rows of keybuttons. The sheet steel spring in this patent does not control movement of the keybuttons between rest and depressed positions.
U.S Pat. No. 3,879,602 issued on Apr. 22, 1975 to Alexander D. R. Walker discloses spring fingers actuated by keybuttons for closing contacts to provide output signals. This patent does not disclose one row of switches nor one row of spring fingers to accommodate two rows of keybuttons. The spring fingers in this patent do not control movement of the keybuttons between rest and depressed positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,137 issued on Feb. 12, 1980 to Hugh St. L. Dannatt discloses two rows of spring fingers to accommodate four rows of keybuttons. This patent also discloses the spring fingers connected to keylevers in such a manner to control the movement of the keybuttons between rest and depressed positions. However, this patent uses a keylever between the keybutton and the spring finger which increases the part count and the assembly time and which has a significantly different structure relative to the present structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,952 issued on Jan. 15, 1985 to Richard H. Kaleida discloses a printed circuit switch panel with lead conductors on an integral tail. This patent does not disclose one row of switches to accommodate two rows of keybuttons.